A CIVIL society umbrella group today urged the police not to persecute five protesters who rallied in front of Ipoh General Hospital yesterday, calling instead for action to be taken against Edgenta UEMS for its union-busting tactics.

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) said the protesters, who were arrested on Tuesday, were part of a larger group of affected people who had made a last-ditch bid to claim their rights in a legitimate industrial picket.

The protest was held by members of the National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services (NUWHSAS), who are mostly hospital cleaners, in front of Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh.

The protesters were employees of UEM Edgenta Bhd’s subsidiary, Edgenta UEMS, which provides maintenance services to government hospitals, among others.

They wanted to call attention to the grouses of hospital cleaners, complaints of which included the lack of protective gear.

JAG said the arrest of the five picketers showed the high-handed behaviour of a repressive state.

It also condemned the arrests as going against health SOPs, as the five spent the night in a crowded lock-up.

NUWHSAS executive secretary M. Saraswathy and union officials L. Danaletchumy and V. Santhiran are facing charges under Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a public servant in discharge of his public functions, as well as under Section 269 of the Penal Code, which covers unlawfully or negligently committing an act that is likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life.

They are also being investigated under Section 7(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code and Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

Hospital cleaners P. Jothi and C. Subramaniam @ Raja, who supported the picket, were also detained.

JAG also took Edgenta UEMS, a unit indirectly owned by Khazanah Nasional Bhd, to task.

The group said the government-linked company had blatantly disregarded the valuable contributions of women workers to the economy, adding that the  denial of the special government allowance of RM600 meant for frontliners to these workers was “immoral and unbecoming of a concerned government”.

JAG also expressed shock over the fact that the workers were only paid a minimum wage of RM1,100 without any annual increment, public holidays or sick leave.

It also reminded Edgenta UEMS to set an example as a responsible employer and not be driven solely by profit.

“We call on the employer, Edgenta UEMS, to desist its vicious ‘union-busting’ tactics as it is anti-worker behaviour adopted by errant employers, and acknowledge the union, NUWHSAS, which wants the grievances of its members to be addressed.”

JAG comprises Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor, Empower, All Women’s Action Society, Women’s Centre for Change, Women’s Aid Organisation, Association of Women Lawyers, Justice for Sisters, Sisters in Islam, Sabah Women’s Action Resource and Tenaganita. – June 4, 2020.